I can't lie this book started off great but by 40% I felt it lost my interest. I wasn't looking to pick it up and finish it off and felt like it was a chore to get through.

I loved The Reluctant Flirt by Jennifer Probst. It’s perfect for a weekend read and checks off every essential for this reader: relatable characters, witty narrative, great plot, and just the right amount of spice.

Sierra is having a tough time; and in a reckless moment, she has a one-night stand with Mr. Charming. The boundaries are set: one night, no names, no numbers. Good night! Sierra eventually ends up in Outer Banks and owns a boutique called Flirt. But then one night, she bumps into Kane, her long-gone but not forgotten lover. Emotions and chemistry explode, and it is pure action and re-action for the rest of the book. This is a must read!

Thank you

📖 Book Review 📖 It was only supposed to be one night. No names, no strings attached. But four years later, far from Manhattan, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina they meet again. When Kane arrives in OBX with nothing left to his name, the only person he knows is his best friend, Brick (who just happens to be dating the sister of that elusive one night stand.) Can that chemistry sustain beyond just one night for Kane and Sierra? The Reluctant Flirt is a heartfelt beach read about second chances in life that unfolds in the most unexpected ways.

While The Reluctant Flirt is book two in this series and readers will enjoy a reunion with familiar faces from the first book, this one stands alone beautifully.

I enjoyed the first book in this series so much that I was definitely looking forward to this one. Book one (“Book of the Month”) involves Aspen and Brick. This book is about Aspen’s sister, Sierra, and Kane. I would recommend reading the first book before this one as Aspen and Brick are in this one and their story continues.

I wasn’t drawn into this story as much as I had hoped. It didn’t have the same feel as book one. Also, I’m not a fan of 3rd person POV— especially when I’m not into the story as I would like.

Thank you to the author, Blue Box Press and Get Red PR for an advanced readers copy and #gifted final copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and @BlueBoxPress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun, feel good romance with just the right amount of heart, heat, and humor. The Reluctant Flirt follows Sierra, freshly divorced and trying to rebuild her life (and confidence) after catching her husband cheating. A spontaneous, wine fueled night with a charming stranger in a bar gives her a spark of something new—until she panics and disappears before morning.

Fast forward a few years and Sierra is thriving as the owner of a super cute boutique in the Outer Banks... until that stranger, Kane Masterson, shows up as the developer threatening to wipe out everything she's built. And of course, sparks fly all over again, just this time with a side of enemies-to-lovers tension.

Sierra is witty, strong, and relatable. I really loved how she picked herself up and built a life on her own terms. Kane’s a great balance to her stubborn but sweet, career focused but clearly still carrying a torch. Their banter had me smiling, and the chemistry between them was 🔥 without ever feeling forced. I also appreciated the deeper emotional threads family, forgiveness, and figuring out what really matters.

The pacing dragged just a tiny bit in the middle but overall, this was such an enjoyable, heartfelt story. Perfect for you if you are a fan of second chances, small-town charm, and flirty tension that turns into something real.

4.25 Stars!

#TheReluctantFlirt, #JenniferProbst, #BlueBoxPress, #RomanceBooks, #NetGalley

A beautiful story about the possibility of rebuilding your life after a bad streak, second chances, destiny, and the price of ambition, all seasoned with just the right touch of spice.

A great read. Kane and Sierra have met once before, but now he is in her home town will she give him a second chance? A great read, and a great setting.

This was a great book! The story was very well written and I could not put this book down. I love reading romances set in the city.

This is the story of Sierra and Kane who meet at a bar in NYC at a time when neither are ready for a relationship. She is newly divorced and he is very career focused. They agree to one night, no names, no strings. It was a night that would stay with both of them until years later when circumstances bring them back together. Now that time has passed, are they ready to really be together? Can they trust each other now that their lives have changed so much? This was a really great read. Kane is such a great MMC.

I would classify this as a second chance romance, but the first time around, it was a one night stand. Sierra was reeling from the cheating husband and met Kane at a bar in NYC. She took off before he woke up. Only now it's four years later and Kane is working for her sister's almost fiance and Sierra has a fashionable, successful business in a beach community.

Kane's been through some rough times, but he's still holding a flame for Sierra. He's also trying to rebuild his life.

I'm not sure Kane is believable, but I like Sierra a lot. The story has hot sex scenes.

We love when a guy you had a one night stand with four years ago pops back up…and is somehow now in your friend group and you have to pretend to be chill and signals get mixed!! What a fun time for all involved!!

Back in OBX, local shop owner Sierra Lourde has finally gotten her life together…and then in walks Kane Masterson, best friend of her sister’s fiance/best man in and finally named man from her past. Through power brokerage deals, complicated relationships with a grouchy orange cat who HATES men, town gossip, a confident man pspspsing his future wife (in his head of course), flirting via shoe choice, and a you’ve got mail inspired collection of advice, we get to see these crazy kids rediscover each other and reevaluate what they think is important in life.

Sierra and Kane truly feel like perfect balances for each other - confident and strong in areas the other is not, crazy ability to commit to the bit, and weirdly aligned childhood traumas that map onto their older sibling roles. I was so invested in their story, and was obsessed with Kane’s obsession with her. He is the most romantasy written man in a regular ole romcom!

Thanks so much to Jennifer Probst and NetGalley for a chance to read in exchange for an honest review.

The Reluctant Flirt is the 2nd book in the Outer Banks series and I strongly recommend reading them in order because while this is Sierra and Kane's story, a good part of the book revolves around Brick and Aspen, the main characters from the previous book. I liked Sierra and Kane individually and the part about their first meeting was both sweet, emotional and spicy. Yet the small town meddling and dynamics was a bit over the top for me and I found myself skimming pages at times. There's a sweet HEA in more ways than one, while the stage is set for the next book in the series.

I love a book where they guy is more confident and trusting in the relationship than the girl. Of course, going through a divorce leaves anybody vulnerable and not super confident so you definitely need someone who is all in. This made me love this book even more. Great one Jennifer Probst! Really enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press, for providing me with this ARC. This was my personal reading experience with this book.
This was a quick, easy, small town beach read. I could practically feel the wind and salt of the sea in the air as I read. Our FMC Sierra was a likable, strong female character who came across as relatable. Our MMC Kane came across as ambitious, devoted and focused in what he wants in life and in love. Sounds great right? However, somewhere along the way, he lost me as a fan and because of that I couldn't fully get behind them as a couple. That's a personal preference in an MMC, and what I prefer may not be the same for a different reader. He was really my only issue with the book. The plot, FMC, side characters, writing style, and setting all worked for me. So I'll definitely be trying another book by this author in the future! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes late 90's to early 2000's romcoms. The dialogue, characters, and plot are very reminiscent of that era of romcom movies.

The Reluctant Flirt
By Jennifer Probst

A fun read, you might want to read the previous book first.

Sierra has reinvented herself after her divorce. She's built a stable, thriving business that she enjoys. So she's had no luck in the love department, maybe that's for other people. But watching her sister find her happily every after makes her think about what could have beens.

Kane came to the Outer Banks to get away from the mess in New York. He's ready to start taking steps to get back on track. When the past comes right back into his life and he realizes that she's what's been missing. Now he has to overcome her roadblocks and so much more.

This is a cute small town romance, but it did read a little slow to me. I was really excited to get more of Kane and to learn a little more about Aspen, but I couldn't connect with either character at all. The first 40% felt sluggish and it was really hard for me to power through the rest. I do think this story is a great beach read, but it just wasn't for me.

This book will just melt your heart!! Kane & Sierra certainly have a lot of baggage to deal with to get their HEA. They have quite a few obstacles to overcome but thank goodness love prevails. I definitely recommend adding this book to the top of your tbr pile! Can’t wait for the next installment in the Outer Banks series!

I loved this book! I enjoyed the characters and the plot! I liked Sierra, the FMC but I loved Kane the MMC. He was the perfect guy even with his issues. The premise was cute and I would love the chance to walk around browsing the items in Sierra's store Flirt. The shoe quotes at the beginning of each chapter added a an extra flare. This is a perfect beach read and released just in time for your summer TBR!

Thank you Net Galley, Jennifer Probst and Blue Box Press for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions expressed are my own.
The Reluctant Flirt is expected to be released July 15, 2025.

Was so happy to get approved for the second book on the series, I loved the first so much! And having our house so close but moving away for military reasons and than reading both of these books made me even more homesick!! Did find that if they were on their first date watching the sunset on the ocean-it wouldn’t happen since the sunsets on the sound side, but most people wouldn’t know that slight mistake.
As for the relationship I really struggled with sierra being so mad at Kane taking on the project. Ok I get that he lied by not telling her right away and we both knew this was coming. But as he said he technically couldn’t say anything under contract. AND he literally has been trying to find another property for the resort and her shop. She should be a little hurt but understand that he did and is continuing to do all that he can for her. And he didn’t even know it was her shop when he accepted in the first place and like he said if he backs out now he thinks they’ll use his jail against him. Ugh I get that the romcom had to have some sort of trouble to work through but it was so easy to predict and could have been sorted out way better. Random side note-I know she loves shoes, so does Kane but it doesn’t come out till later I feel, but I don’t love the shoe quotes in the beginning of each chapter. I feel like if Kane would have said the quote earlier than at the end of the book and we understood that both loved shoes mom in would have made a little more sense to me? Loved the little doodle art heart at the start of the chapter but also would have preferred the name of their chapters on each as well. Overall I really did love reading this book and am really hoping for a 3rd book and it to be Jane’s brother not mal and Marco. I read this book along side of my book bestie and it was wonderful to talk back and forth on our thoughts, predictions and opinions on finishing it! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc in turn for my honest opinion.

I am loving this series so far! Sierra and Kane are wonderful characters that you just want to see find their HEA together. It may have taken them some time for reasons you will read about, but find it they finally do. I really love these two and enjoyed every moment of their story.
Looking forward to more on this series I hope! The setting is amazing and I do hope to one day travel to the OBX! But for now I can do that through this series!


ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.